Support and Compression Garment

ABSTRACT

A support and compression garment ( 10 ) including a body ( 11 ) comprising at least one support and compression portion ( 32 ) for providing support and compression to at least one targeted region of a person&#39;s body and at least one support and compression member ( 70 ) associated with the at least one support and compression portion ( 32 ) for increasing the amount of support and compression. Garment ( 10 ) may have a plurality of support and compression portions, and the level of support and compression by the portions may be varied as desired.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention related to body garments and devices which providea person with support to the body part on which the garment or device isworn. In particular, but not exclusively, the present invention relatesto body garments which can be worn to provide support and compressionduring sport, pregnancy or recovery from an injury. However, it will beappreciated that the present invention has broader application and isnot limited to these particular uses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Body muscles and joints can become sore or fatigued as a result ofstresses from physical exertion, pregnancy or conditions such as pelvicinstability or “Sloppy Pelvis” Syndrome, or Trendelenburg Sign, whereone side of the hip drops down due to a weakness in the gluteus mediusmuscle.

A particular portion of the body prone to soreness and injury from thestresses of physical exertion and pregnancy is the lower back and pelvicregion. The pelvis is the irregular bony structure located at the baseof the spine. In the adult human, the pelvis is formed by the sacrum,the coccyx and a pair of hip bones. The hip bones are joined posteriorlyto the sacrum and incorporate a socket portion receiving each leg.

The pelvis achieves its stability from rough joint surfaces, tough jointcapsules and ligaments and muscles that cross over the joints. Damage toany of these structures can cause the pelvis to become unstable,resulting in pain and injury to the pelvis itself and/or nearbystructures. Low back, pelvic and groin injuries primarily occur insports, recreational and work activities that involve bending, twisting,changes in direction and/or speed and/or repetitive motions.

Pregnancy is a commonly recognised cause of pelvic instability. Relaxinis a hormone released during pregnancy to loosen the ligaments toprepare the pelvis for delivery of the baby. If a woman already has adegree of pelvic instability due to previous pregnancies, a pelvic orback injury and/or is generally very flexible, she may experience painand dysfunction during her pregnancy and in extreme cases, difficultywalking that may require the use of crutches or a wheelchair. A womanmay continue to experience problems related to pelvic instability forsome time after giving birth.

Traditionally, elastic bands comprising hook and loop fasteners, such asVelcro® fasteners, are worn over the area to be supported. These bandsare made of a breathable, elasticised material and are generally wideenough to provide good compression and support to the region on which itis worn. The bands are fastened in place using large Velcro® patches,straps or harness buckles. One disadvantage of these bands is that theyare generally quite large and bulky with the degree of compressionremaining the same throughout the entire band, which can beuncomfortable and awkward to wear. They are also unfashionable and canbe an eyesore when they cannot be disguised underneath clothing. Thematerial and thickness of the bands can also lead to chafing as a resultof rubbing against the skin. While some bands incorporate an internalfoam layer, they are still uncomfortable and unsightly to wear.

Various attempts have been made to alleviate these problems by providingbody garments which provide integrated support for a user during sportactivities. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,430,752 discloses sports shortscomprising diagonal elastics which crossover the pelvic region from thehip to the opposite mid-thigh in an arrangement which is duplicated onthe front and the back of the shorts, to provide better support bymimicking the body's anterior and posterior diagonal sling systems. Thewaist area is circumferential to provide pelvic support. These shortsare not very resilient and are impractical to be worn during a game asthey can still cause chaffing. These shorts cannot be worn for sportssuch as Australian Rules Football, which require that compression shortsworn under football shorts must be flesh coloured.

Compressive and insulating sports shorts, such as those sold under thebrand name Skins™ by SKINS North America LLC (www.skins.net), aredesigned to be worn under normal sports shorts. The sports shorts arecut to provide increased compression along the lateral rotator line andprovide extra support to the deep buttock muscles. While these shortsaid in providing support and retain heat to provide speedy recovery formuscles, the degree of compression is often not sufficient to providerelief for most injuries or body aliments and cannot be targeted tospecific regions.

Support shorts, referred to as Post-Pregnancy Recovery Shorts andPost-Pregnancy ports Shorts in the marketplace, are designed to providesupport to the upper abdomen, caesarean wounds and the perineum.However, these shorts are only suitable for use after giving birth anddo not provide the necessary support for the lower lumbar region andpelvic region required during pregnancy.

Sacroiliac joint belts, such as the Serola Sacroiliac Belt (sold byMedSupports, Inc., www.serola.net), have been designed to compress andsupport the sacroiliac joint, which is a common factor causing lowerback pain. These types of belts are often prescribed byphysiotherapists, and others, to patients with pelvic instability as anadjunct to treatment. Compression is applied transversely through thepelvis by the belt to mimic the stabilising action of the transversusabdominus muscle and the multifidus muscle. Some of the disadvantageswith these belts are that they are uncomfortable to wear and can pressagainst or cut into the stomach when the wearer sits down. For womenhaving weight gain during or after pregnancy, the belt may produceunsightly bulges above and below the belt that are difficult to disguiseunder clothing. It is also difficult to maintain the belts in thecorrect place as they exhibit a tendency to ride up and down. Thesacroiliac joint belts are also not able to be worn during sport as theyare too cumbersome and are potentially dangerous to opponents duringcontact sports. An alternative is to apply a compressive tape to thepelvis for wear during sport; however, this is not suitable for thoseplayers allergic to sports tape. A knowledgeable and skilled person isalso generally required for correct application of tape.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is a preferred object of the invention to provide a support andcompression garment that addresses or ameliorates one or more of theaforementioned problems of the prior art or provides a commercialalternative.

It is a preferred object of the invention to provide a support andcompression garment which provides support to at least one targetedregion of a person's body.

It is a further preferred object of the invention to provide a supportand compression garment which is comfortable for a user to wear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Generally, the present invention relates to a support and compressiongarment which provides support and compression targeted to a region of aperson's body.

According to one aspect, although not necessarily the broadest aspect,the present invention resides in a support and compression garmentcomprising:

-   -   a body comprising at least one support and compression portion        for providing support and compression to at least one targeted        region of a person's body; and    -   at least one support and compression member associated with the        at least one support and compression portion for increasing the        amount of support and compression.

Preferably, the support and compression garment is in the form of ashort pant, but may also be in the form of a long pant.

Preferably, the support and compression garment further comprises a legportion having a pair of legs for receiving at least a person' thighs.

Preferably, the leg portion has a ribbed edging which extends along aninner side of the pair of legs and/or an inbuilt gusset.

Preferably, the body comprises a waistband.

Preferably, the at least one support and compression portion isspecifically positioned over or integrally formed with the waistband.

Preferably, the waistband comprises at least one attachment member forallowing the support and compression member to be connected to thesupport and compression portion.

Suitably, the at least one support and compression portion is made of aribbing material having a 2×2 ribbing profile.

Suitably, the material of the support and compression portion has asufficient elastane content for providing the appropriate degree ofsupport and compression to the targeted region.

Suitably, the support and compression member is in the form of a supportand compression belt.

Suitably, the support and compression belt has at least one hook portionand at least one loop portion for fastening the support and compressionbelt about the waistband.

Suitably, the support and compression belt is integrated within thewaistband of the garment.

Suitably, the body of the garment is elongated.

Preferably, the length of the elongated body can be varied toaccommodate a person's stomach enlarging during pregnancy.

Preferably, the support and compression portion is specificallypositioned over a waistband of the elongated body of the garment toprovide support and compression to the stomach and pelvic region.

Preferably, the body comprises a central region positioned over themiddle of the stomach which is made of a material having zero elasticitycontent or an elasticity content lower than that of the support andcompression portion, to avoid excessive support and compression beingapplied directly onto the baby.

Suitably, the garment is made of a comfortable fabric material.

Suitably, in an embodiment having leg portions extending over the thigh,the body includes support and compression portions having a moderatecompression level associated at least with respective selected thighmuscle groups.

Suitably, in an embodiment having leg portions extending to the ankle,the body includes support and compression portions having a lightcompression level, associated at least with respective gastrocnemiusmuscles.

Further aspects and features of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

By way of example only, preferred embodiments of the invention will bedescribed more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 a is a front view of a support and compression garment for coresupport;

FIG. 1 b is a front view of an alternate version of the support andcompression garment of the support and compression garment of FIG. 1 ato be worn by a female;

FIG. 1 c is a rear view of the support and compression garment in FIG. 1a showing an attachment member;

FIG. 1 d is plan view of a support and compression belt for use with thegarment in FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 1 e is an underneath view of the support and compression belt inFIG. 1 c;

FIG. 2 a is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the support andcompression garment in FIG. 1 a to be worn during sport;

FIG. 2 b is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the support andcompression belt in FIG. 1 c;

FIG. 2 c is an underneath view of the support and compression belt inFIG. 2 b;

FIG. 3 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the support andcompression garment in FIG. 2 a having an integrated support andcompression belt;

FIG. 4 a is a front view of a further alternative embodiment of thesupport and compression garment in FIG. 1 a to be worn during pregnancy;

FIG. 4 b is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the support andcompression garment in FIG. 4 a;

FIG. 4 c is a rear view of the support and compression garment in FIGS.4 a and 4 b;

FIG. 4 d is a plan view of a further alternative embodiment of thesupport and compression belt in FIG. 1 d;

FIG. 5 a is a front view of an additional embodiment of the support andcompression garment of FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 5 b is a rear view of the support and compression garment of FIG. 5b;

FIG. 6 a is a front view of yet a further embodiment of the support andcompression garment of FIG. 1 a having full leg length; and

FIG. 6 b is a rear view of the support and compression garment of FIG. 6a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of a support and compression garment of thepresent invention are shown in the Figures and generally designated bythe reference numeral 10 shown in FIG. 1 a. According to someembodiments illustrated herein, the support and compression garment 10is in the form of a short pant for providing support and compression toat least one targeted region of a person's body and in particular, aperson's lumbar and/or pelvic and/or abdominal regions. In alternativeembodiments, the garment 10 can be elongated to be in the form ofthree-quarter length or full length pants or leggings. The garment 10could also be in the form of a three-quarter or full body garment.Preferably, the garment 10 is made of a fabric material commonly usedfor clothing which is comfortable against a person's skin, suitable forlong-term wear and aesthetically pleasing. For example, the garment canbe made of any suitable synthetic or natural fibre or other material.Alternatively, the garment can also be made of a wood pulp or bamboofibre material.

As shown in FIG. 1 a, the support and compression garment 10 comprises abody 11 and a leg portion 40. According to some embodiments, the legportion 40 is integrally formed with a base of the body 11 and comprisesa pair of legs 41 to be received over a person's thighs. A hem 43 isprovided along the bottom edge of the legs 41. In alternativeembodiments, the length of the pair of legs 41 can be varied as desiredto cover more or less of a person's legs. For example, the garment 10can have shorter length legs 41 to be more comfortable for a person towear in summer. Preferably, the leg portion 40 has a ribbed edging 42which extends along an inner side of the pair of legs 41 and gusset 50.The ribbed edging 42 preferably comprises a 1×1 ribbing profile so thatthe legs 41 will be contoured to the person's thighs and have a reduceddegree of support and compression compared to that of a support andcompression portion 32 for added comfort and long-term wear.

Preferably, the leg portion 40 has an integrated gusset 50 forsupporting a person's groin area while wearing the support andcompression garment 10. It is envisaged that the inbuilt gusset 50 canbe tailored in different embodiments of the garment 10 to suit a male orfemale. The inbuilt gusset 50 is preferably made of a breathablematerial which can the same as, or different from, the material of theleg portion 40 for hygiene purposes. In a further embodiment of thepresent invention, the integrated gusset 50 can be omitted in a femaleversion of the support and compression garment 10, as illustrated inFIG. 1 b.

FIGS. 1 a and 1 b show the support and compression garment 10 in theform of a core short pant for providing support and compression to acore region of a person. As illustrated, the support and compressiongarment 10 comprises the body 11 having at least one support andcompression portion 32 for providing support and compression to atargeted region of a person's body, such as the abdominal muscles in thefront and the thoraco-lumbar muscles of the lower back. The support andcompression portion 32 shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, is specificallypositioned over or integrally formed with a waistband 31 on the body 11of the garment 10 to provide support and compression to a targeted areanamely, the core region. In an alternative embodiment, it is envisagedthat a hem can be provided on the waistband 31 for receiving an elasticmember or the like to assist in holding a top edge of the garment abouta person's waist.

Preferably, the support and compression portion 32 is made of a ribbingmaterial having a 2×2 ribbing profile (or weaving of two side-by-sidethreads crossing two side-by-side threads). The 2×2 ribbing profileprovides sufficient elasticity to provide the necessary support andcompression for the support and compression portion 32. Preferably, thesupport and compression portion 32 will have eighteen percent (byweight) elastane (or spandex) content (a polyurethane-polyureaco-polymer) or other suitable amount for providing sufficientcompression. An example material for high support and compression cancomprise about 65% (by weight) polyamide, 25% spandex and 10% polyesterAlternatively, the support and compression portion 32 can have adifferent ribbing profile or be made of a different material to increaseor decrease the support and compression of the support and compressionportion 32 as required.

The support and compression portion 32 preferably extends around a rearside of the support and compression garment as illustrated in FIG. 1 cattached to the garment such as by stitching or another conventionalmethod. According to some embodiments shown in FIG. 1 c, the garment 10comprises an attachment member 61. Preferably, the attachment member 61is located on a rear side of the waistband 31 and positioned at asuitable point on the support and compression portion 32. In theembodiment shown in FIG. 1 c, the attachment member 61 is in the form ofa strip of hooks or loops for attachment via a hook and loop fastenermechanism, such as Velcro fasteners. Preferably, the attachment member61 comprises a dense layer of loops and is vertically oriented andpositioned substantially centrally on the rear side of the waistband 31for receiving a support and compression member 70 shown in FIG. 1 d.Attachment member 61 may be attached to the garment by stitching oranother conventional method.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 d, the support and compression member 70 is inthe form of a support and compression belt. Preferably, the support andcompression belt 70 is made of a stretch elastic material suitable forproviding additional support and compression for the support andcompression portion 32. The length of the support and compression beltcan be varied to fit around a person's waist and can be made indifferent lengths or be adjustable. A top side of the belt comprises atleast one hook portion 72 comprising a dense layer of hooks. Preferably,a first hook portion 72 is positioned substantially centrally on the topside of the support and compression belt 70 for attaching the supportand compression belt 70 to the attachment member 61 of the waistband 31.A second hook portion 72 is provided on a first end 74 of the supportand compression belt 70.

A bottom side of the belt 70 shown in FIG. 1 e, comprises a loop portion73 comprising a dense layer of loops on a second end 75 of the supportand compression belt 70 for allowing the first end 74 of the belt to beconnected to the second end 75 by attaching the loop portion 73 to thehook portion 72 on the first end 74. In an alternative embodiment of thesupport and compression belt, it will be acknowledged that thepositioning of the hook and loop portions may be varied as desired. Infurther alternative embodiments, the hook and loop fastening mechanismcan be replaced with any other suitable fastening mechanism.

FIG. 2 a illustrates an alternative embodiment of the support andcompression garment 10 to provide support and compression during sportcomprising an alternative attachment section 62 located on the frontside of the garment 10. Preferably, the attachment section 62 is in theform of at least one aperture 63. As shown in FIG. 2 a, there are twoapertures 63 stitched into the waistband 31 that are verticallyorientated and positioned substantially centrally on the waistband 31.The apertures 63 are suitably spaced apart so that a support andcompression belt 70 can be threaded through the apertures 63 and besecured over the waistband, providing additional support and compressionfor the support and compression portion 32 on the waistband 31.

Referring now to FIG. 2 b showing an alternative support and compressionbelt 76, a top side of the support and compression belt 76 comprises ahook portion 72 provided on the first end 74 of the support andcompression belt 76. A bottom side of the support and compression belt76 shown in FIG. 2 c, comprises a loop portion 73 comprising a denselayer of loops on the second end 75 of the support and compression belt76 for allowing the first end 74 of the support and compression belt 76to be connected to the second end 75 by attaching the loop portion 73 tothe hook portion 72.

In an alternative embodiment of support and compression garment 10, thesupport and compression belt 76 is integrated so that it is concealed toprevent the belt 76 being ripped off or loosened during sport. The rearside of the support and compression garment 10 having an integratedcompression belt 76 is illustrated in FIG. 3. Preferably, the waistband31 can comprise an aperture 33 for allowing the compression belt to beinserted into or removed from the waistband 31, or to provide access foradjustment of the compression belt as desired. Alternatively, thesupport and compression belt 76 may be permanently inserted within thewaistband 31 during manufacture of the garment 10 via stitching or thelike.

FIGS. 4 a to 4 c illustrate alternative embodiments of the support andcompression garment 10 to provide pelvic support during pregnancy.Preferably, the body 11 of the compression garment 10 is elongated tocover and provide support over a person's stomach. The length of thebody 11 can be varied to accommodate the stomach enlarging duringpregnancy. For example, the body 11 can be folded inwardly or outwardlyuntil a desired length is obtained. The material of the garment 10ensures that the folded section will not become excessively bulky. Asillustrated in FIG. 4 a, the support and compression portion 32 isspecifically positioned over the waistband 31 and the body 11 of thegarment 10 to provide support and compression to the stomach and pelvicregions.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 4 b, a central region 12which lies over the middle of the stomach is made of a material havingzero elasticity content or an elasticity content lower than that of thesupport and compression portion 32, to avoid excessive support andcompression being applied directly onto the baby. The material can bethe same as, or different from, the material used for the leg portion 40of the garment 10. The support and compression portion 32 isspecifically positioned over the waistband 31 and the body 11surrounding the central region 12.

The support and compression portion 32 for the embodiments shown inFIGS. 4 a and 4 b preferably extends around the back side of the supportand compression garment as illustrated in FIG. 4 c. As shown in FIG. 4c, the garment comprises a larger version of the attachment member 61horizontally oriented on the waistband 31 for providing lumbar support.

FIG. 4 d shown an alternative support and compression belt 77 for theuse during pregnancy. Preferably, the support and compression belt 77comprises a pair of hook portions 72, wherein one hook portion 72 isprovided on the first end 74 and another hook portion 72 is provided ona second end 75 of the support and compression belt 77, to be attachedto the attachment member 61 on the waistband 31 for providing additionalsupport and compression.

In FIGS. 5 a and 5 b, garment 10 is shown to have a body 11, a waistband31 and at least one support and compression portion 32 associated withthe abdominal and pelvic region, as in FIG. 1 a. The leg portion 40 isshown to include a pair of legs 41 for covering the thigh, each leg 41having a ribbing edge 42 and a hem 43, and also a gusset 50 (FIG. 5 a).Additionally, garment 10 includes strategically engineered support andcompression portions 44 associated with the upper thighs from whichextend a plurality of extended portions 45 associated with respectivetargeted muscle groups, such as the rectus femoris and sartorius musclesin the front, and (not shown) similar portions and extensions associatedwith the biceps femoris and gluteus maximus muscles in the rear. Theseportions 44, 45 are preferably of moderate compression levels, andprovide protection especially against extensive vibration during aworkout or playing sport. Such body mapping also facilitates lower bodymuscle groups in fast recovery after heavy workout or competition. Anexample material for moderate support and compression could be about 70%(by weight) polyamide, 15% spandex and 15% polyester.

In FIGS. 6 a and 6 b, garment 10 is shown to have a body 11, a waistband31 and at least one support and compression portion 32 associated withthe abdominal and pelvic region, as in FIG. 1 a. The leg portion 40 isshown to include a pair of legs 41 for covering the thigh, each leg 41having a ribbing edge 42 and a hem 43, and also a gusset 50 (FIG. 6 a).Garment 10 includes strategically engineered support and compressionportions 44 associated with the upper thighs from which extend aplurality of extended portions 45 associated with respective targetedmuscle groups, with portions 44, 45 having moderate compression levelsas with the garments of FIGS. 5 a and 5 b. Additionally, garment 10 ofFIGS. 6 a and 6 b includes strategically engineered support andcompression portions 46 associated with the knee region, and alsoinclude portions 47 associated with targeted muscle groups of the calfregion, including gastrocnemius muscles. Portions 46, 47 may preferablyhave light compression levels. As with the garment of FIGS. 5 a and 5 b,portions 46, 47 provide protection especially against extensivevibration during a workout or playing sport and also facilitate lowerbody muscle groups in fast recovery after heavy workout or competition.An example material for light support and compression could be similarin content to that for moderate support and compression but have adifferent knitting method, as is known.

Hence, the present invention provides a solution for alleviating theproblems of the prior art by providing a support and compression garmentwhich is comfortable, aesthetically pleasing, able to provide supportand compression to targeted areas and does not required technicalexpertise to be fitted. The support and compression garment is able toreplicate the body's own deep stabilising system by providing optimalplacement of external compressive forces through the pelvic region.Embodiments of the support and compression garment can also be usedduring sport. The detachable support and compression member and itsvariable positioning of some embodiments allow the wearer to vary thedegree and/or location of compression, for example, as the wearerrecovers from an injury, becomes more heavily pregnant and/or needs moresupport when engaging in strenuous activities such as housework, liftingor gardening. Generally, overall the support and compression compositionis 68% (by weight) polyamide, 18% spandex, and 14% polyester.

Throughout the specification, the aim has been to describe the preferredembodiments of the invention without limiting the invention to any oneembodiment or specific collection of features. It is to be appreciatedby those of skill in the art that, various modifications and changes canbe made in the particular embodiments exemplified without departing fromthe scope of the claims or the spirit of the present invention.

1. A support and compression garment comprising: a body comprising atleast one support and compression portion for providing support andcompression to at least one targeted region of a person's body; and atleast one support and compression member associated with the at leastone support and compression portion for increasing the amount of supportand compression.
 2. The support and compression garment as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the garment is made of a comfortable fabric material.3. The support and compression garment as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe at least one support and compression portion is made of a ribbingmaterial having a 2×2 ribbing profile.
 4. The support and compressiongarment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support and compressiongarment is in the form of a short pant.
 5. The support and compressiongarment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material of the support andcompression portion has a sufficient elasticity content for providingthe appropriate degree of support and compression to the targetedregion.
 6. The support and compression garment as claimed in claim 5,wherein the elasticity content is about eighteen percent by weight. 7.The support and compression garment as claimed in claim 1, where whenhigh support and compression is desired, the composition of the materialtherefor is about 65% (by weight) polyamide, 25% spandex and 10%polyester.
 8. The support and compression garment as claimed in claim 1,where when moderate or light support and compression is desired, thecomposition of the material therefor is about 70% (by weight) polyamide,15% spandex and 15% polyester.
 9. The support and compression garment asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising a leg portion having a pair oflegs for receiving at least a person's thighs.
 10. The support andcompression garment as claimed in claim 9, wherein the leg portion has aribbed edging which extends along an inner side of the pair of legsand/or an inbuilt gusset.
 11. The support and compression garment asclaimed in claim 9, wherein the pair of legs extend to ankle length. 12.The support and compression garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein thebody is elongated.
 13. The support and compression garment as claimed inclaim 12, wherein the length of the elongated body can be varied toaccommodate a person's stomach enlarging during pregnancy.
 14. Thesupport and compression garment as claimed in claim 13, wherein thesupport and compression portion is specifically positioned over awaistband of the elongated body of the garment to provide support andcompression to the stomach and pelvic region.
 15. The support andcompression garment as claimed in claim 14, wherein the body comprises acentral region positioned over the middle of the stomach which is madeof a material having zero elasticity content or an elasticity contentlower than that of the support portion, to avoid excessive support andcompression being applied directly onto a baby.
 16. The support andcompression garment as claimed in claim 12, wherein the body comprises acentral region positioned over the middle of the stomach which is madeof a material having zero elasticity content or an elasticity contentlower than that of the support portion, to avoid excessive support andcompression being applied directly onto a baby.
 17. The support andcompression garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body comprises awaistband.
 18. The support and compression garment as claimed in claim17, wherein the at least one support and compression portion isspecifically positioned over or integrally formed with the waistband.19. The support and compression garment as claimed in claim 17, whereinthe waistband comprises at least one attachment member for allowing thesupport and compression member to be connected to the support andcompression portion.
 20. The support and compression garment as claimedin claim 1, wherein the support and compression member is in the form ofa support and compression belt that has at least one hook portion and atleast one loop portion for fastening the support and compression beltaround a waistband of the garment.
 21. The support and compressiongarment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support and compressionmember is in the form of a support and compression belt integratedwithin a waistband of the garment.
 22. The support and compressiongarment as claimed in claim 1, further comprising support andcompression portions having a plurality of extended portions associatedwith respective targeted lower body muscle groups.
 23. The support andcompression garment as claimed in claim 1, further having legs coveringthe thigh each having moderate compression areas supporting respectiveassociated thigh muscle groups.
 24. The support and compression garmentas claimed in claim 23, where when moderate support and compression isdesired, the composition of the material therefor is about 70% (byweight) polyamide, 15% spandex and 15% polyester.
 25. The support andcompression garment as claimed in claim 23, further having ankle-lengthlegs each having light compression areas supporting respectiveassociated calf muscle groups.
 26. The support and compression garmentas claimed in claim 1, further having ankle-length legs each havinglight compression areas supporting respective associated calf musclegroups.
 27. The support and compression garment as claimed in claim 1,wherein an at least one support and compression portion comprises about68% (by weight) polyamide, 18% spandex and 14% polyester.